Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has hinted heavily that Bernie Ecclestone, F1's 78-year-old long time boss, should consider retirement

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has hinted heavily that Bernie Ecclestone, F1's 78-year-old long time boss, should consider retirement.

Asked by the media about the sport's chief executive, and the 68-year-old FIA president Max Mosley, he said: "Time goes by and in a few years I will retire too."

Montezemolo, 61, is sided strongly with Mosley and F1's other teams in pushing Ecclestone for more than 50 per cent of the sport's revenue pie.

"We'll see. What's certain is that the time to divide and conquer to rule in F1 is over," he said.

In the London newspaper The Times, Montezemolo was ever clearer about Ecclestone's role, which dates back to the late 70s.

"I think sooner or later he has to stop," the Italian said.

He suggested a clean page in F1's financial governance, currently overseen by Ecclestone and the sport's majority owners CVC, is required.

"We have to open an important page with Ecclestone and (CVC's Donald) Mackenzie, not only in terms of quantity of money but in terms of how to do many things -- circuits, spectators, hospitality, television, types of track and timing of races."

Montezemolo said F1 is currently not being run like a "normal" business.

"Do you think it is normal that we don't have one race in North America?" he charged. "Do you think it is normal that we pay unbelievable amounts for hospitality to promote ourselves at the races?"